


Joke's On You

by jumilsbish



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Best Friends, Blood and Injury, Break Up, Break Up Talk, Eventual Happy Ending, Haknyeon POV, M/M, Minor Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Physical Abuse, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26530825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jumilsbish/pseuds/jumilsbish
Summary: Standing up in front of the man, he keeps his head hung low, not daring to meet his eyes. Hands balled up in fists, knuckles white and nails drawing blood from the palms of his hands the only signs of his own frustration. Haknyeon is never angry, only frustrated, frustrated that somehow, he had fucked up and made him angry yet again.
Relationships: Ju Haknyeon/Kim Sunwoo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	Joke's On You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [N0t_so_damn_str8](https://archiveofourown.org/users/N0t_so_damn_str8/gifts).



> To my irl best friend who most likely won't read this:  
> Happy late birthday babe, love you the absolute most
> 
> To my argentinian wifey:  
> Thank you for beta-ing this
> 
> To everyone else:  
> This is the first tbz fic i finished, though not the first one i uploaded because i felt this would be a bit heavy.  
> With that said, please look at the tags again if you haven't already! Don't read this if you are not comfortable reading about graphic descriptions of violence and abuse. 
> 
> I do not condone any of this.  
> What I’m trying to do by writing this is to grab your attention, there are so many people out there in abusive relationships, whether it’s verbal or physical.  
> I want to say that if you were or are one of those people, you are NOT alone.  
> If you recognize yourself (or a friend or family member) in this, PLEASE I’m begging you, seek help. I know it’s hard but it’s really for the best, it’s for YOUR safety.  
> With that said, I love you and please stay safe wherever you are! <3

A sob wracks through his body when his back hits the wall, air punched out of his lungs. Gasping for air, Haknyeon falls forward, arms nearly giving out as his entire weight shifts to his upper body. Even before he can crouch back to his heels an arm is yanking his head up by his hair. A face appears in front of his but he can only see the outlines of its features, eyes filling with more tears as they stream down his face. 

“P-Please..” 

Instead of an answer, a slap is delivered to his cheek, face turning to the side with the force of the hit. “Please what?” Saliva landing on his face as the question is quite literally spit out. Haknyeon can’t get himself to answer, not when he knows it won’t get him anywhere. This has happened before, waiting it out would be the better option. 

So he takes the beating, body thrown around the small bedroom like a rag doll. Every muscle in his body is screaming at him to fight back, to defend himself but his head tells him it’s useless. He wouldn’t still be here if he could fight back, he would have run away and fled years ago, yet here he is, there’s no escaping. 

Curling in on himself, he clutches his legs to his chest, heavy with his shallow breathing, burning from both the pain in his lungs and the at the very least bruised, if not fractured, ribs. A chuckle resonates through the room, “You’re pathetic.” venom thick in the deep voice, a voice he fell in love with all those years ago. Back then it had soothed him, made him forget his worries. Now it is the cause of his worries and pain. 

“Get up.”

How can a voice that once upon a time only carried warmth and love sound so cold, so full of hate? _When had it changed?_

Haknyeon knows when it changed because everything had changed that day, but he chose to ignore, to bury that memory deep down. The memory is like a bad dream to him, all of this is just a bad dream that he will wake up from soon. Or so he hopes. 

Standing up in front of the man, he keeps his head hung low, not daring to meet his eyes. Hands balled up in fists, knuckles white and nails drawing blood from the palms of his hands the only signs of his own frustration. Haknyeon is never angry, only frustrated, frustrated that somehow, he had fucked up and made him angry yet again. 

His eyes sting, they always do. 

Mostly it’s just his tears mingling with cold sweat, sometimes with blood. Today it’s the latter. He feels the red fluid gushing out of his skin just below his eyebrow, clouding his vision when he tries to blink it away. It doesn’t work, in fact, it only hurts more, the squeezing of his eye pulling at the skin of the wound. A single whimper leaves his throat as he is roughly pulled forwards.

“What do we say now?”

Haknyeon tries to steady his voice, willing it to not break as he answers, “Sorry.” It barely comes out as a whisper. He knows what will happen next as soon as he hears his own voice but he doesn’t get the time to prepare, hand already at his throat and pushing his head back so it thuds against the wall behind him. Wheezing from the applied pressure he tries again, “Sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” A chill runs down his spine at the rough tone but he schools his expression into one he hopes will convince the other he means it. 

“Sorry for meeting up with Kevin at a bar.” 

He knows this is what he wanted to hear, knows it’s enough to give himself a break from the pain. And he’s right because the hand lets go of his throat, instead gripping his jaw so he is forced to look at him. “That wasn’t so difficult huh, but you just had to keep it to yourself. You deserve to get beaten up you little bitch.”

Haknyeon wants to level the stare, wants to show he is strong. But he can’t. 

He chooses to look away, pulling his head away from the iron grip softly, contrast between their actions bigger than ever before. He sits down on the bed, brushing past the man in front of him, shoulders touching slightly in the process. 

Already expecting to be yelled at, Haknyeon flinches, but nothing comes. Instead he hears footsteps walking, a door opening and closing, silence falling over him. He lets go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding, mind not yet registering what happened. 

Suddenly the pain washes over him, heavier than before, adrenaline seeping away and making space for a familiar ache over his entire body. His hand lifts to touch his browbone, he winces as it comes into contact with the broken skin, encountering already drying blood. 

He lets himself fall back so he is lying down, hands wandering over his torso to assess the damage done. Luckily it seems like nothing was broken. 

Another emotion slowly takes control as he lies there, no more frustration or pain, just sadness, no tears. Having cried so many times over this already, Haknyeon has no tears left to cry, only empty sobs wracking through his body. 

It hurts. 

His muscles tense and it hurts. More than last week, more than last month, more than last year. It gets worse every time. Haknyeon doesn’t know where his lover keeps gaining this new strength but deep down, he doesn’t even want to. All he wants to do is run, run to someplace far away, away from him.

_Sunwoo_

To think that this is what his life has come to be, Haknyeon couldn’t even say his name anymore. Ironic really, as five years ago this man was the only person he talked about. Now he avoids talking about him at all costs.

His friends know. Well, they know Sunwoo has changed, they know Haknyeon has changed, they know their relationship has changed. Except they don’t know what exactly has changed. 

Haknyeon never told them, ever since Sunwoo had started hitting him three years ago he had only become a little more distant. That process had been slow too, so it wasn’t until months later that Kevin had actually said something about it. He had asked him if something was going on but Haknyeon denied it. 

After that he didn’t ask again, hoping Haknyeon would come to him if there was something important. 

He didn’t.

Haknyeon has continued to take _everything_ for three years. He hasn’t said a word to any of his friends, though suspicions have been rising for a long time. How can they not when he continues to show up with bruises all over his body?

Still no comments are made when Haknyeon is present.

Whenever he is not there though, it’s all Kevin and Juyeon talk about, they have seen the bruises gradually getting worse and making an appearance more frequently. Frankly speaking, it worries them but they don’t want to pry either, wanting to put trust in both him and Sunwoo. 

Haknyeon on the other hand secretly keeps hoping for them to say something, thinking just maybe he will finally admit the relationship has been toxic for a long time. He has not yet admitted that to himself, no matter how bad he’s been hurt, they still love each other, _right?_

Lately he hasn’t been so sure anymore, not when Sunwoo has been hitting him more often and harder, in more visible places, like he wants to see Haknyeon struggle. Haknyeon knows those thoughts are pointless and untrue, Sunwoo has no good reason for all of this, he has never given him one. 

He tries sitting up but the strain on his ribs is too much. Grinding his teeth together he pushes off the bed, knees buckling under his own weight, making him stumble into the closet. With a pained groan he opens the door, dragging himself across the hallway and to the bathroom. 

Sunwoo is probably out of the house by now, drinking somewhere with a couple of his friends. 

He doesn’t even bother taking care of Haknyeon in any way, shape or form anymore. They barely even see each other and when they do, it often ends up with more bruises painting Haknyeon’s body in purples and blues. 

To be honest, Haknyeon sometimes wonders why he hasn’t run away yet. On a day like today his condition wouldn't let him but there've been better days where he could have run off to Kevin’s place and leave it all behind. But then again, he does still love Sunwoo, he can’t just leave him like that. 

Slipping back into their bedroom, now without blood all over his face, he lies down again. If he is lucky, he will be asleep before Sunwoo comes back, so he wouldn’t have to take another beating. 

_One day he’s not going to make it out alive._

The thought has been drifting around his head for months but Haknyeon keeps pushing it away, his boyfriend wouldn’t kill him, _right?_ It’s all he thinks about as he falls into a slumber, the still present pain not letting him fall into his much-desired deep sleep. 

“Can I go to Kevin’s tonight?”

“Why?” Sunwoo asks without looking at him. 

“Him and Jacob wanted to have a movie night. I’ll be home at twelve, promise.” Compromising usually helped, that is if the other is in a good mood. 

Sunwoo hums, “If not, you know what happens,” he threatens, making the air around them heavy. “Not a minute later.”

It’s the last thing Haknyeon hears before walking out the door. He is lucky he still has his job, it gives him time away from home, time away from Sunwoo. He doesn’t want to admit it but as soon as he steps into their house, he is scared, guard raising in the knowledge of what could happen. 

His shift, the same he has always had, goes by in a flash and he is happy when he sees the clock hit eight, time to clock out. Never one to rush, he gathers his things as he dials Kevin’s number. The older happily answers the phone, “Hey love, I guess you’re done huh? I got a surprise for you, Jacob is outside the store to pick you up!” he chimes. 

“You know you don’t have to do that!” Haknyeon says but a smile finds its way into his face, “Thanks Kev.” He adds softly, it’s a loaded thank you, one for more than just the ride to their place, Kevin just doesn’t know.

Like Kevin said, Jacob is indeed waiting out front. He waves him over to their truck with a grin on his face. They don’t speak much on the way home, mostly about how boring his shift was and how nothing ever happens around town. 

When Jacob pulls up to their house, Haknyeon can see Juyeon standing in front of the window of the living room, waving enthusiastically at the two. “Someone’s happy to see you.” Jacob chuckles, having noticed Juyeon as well. 

They walk into the house, Kevin and Juyeon both immediately attacking him with hugs. Pain shoots through his ribcage but Haknyeon tries not to flinch, “Hey guys!” he says, happy to see his friends again. It’s been weeks since he last saw them altogether. 

“Let’s get this movie night going, shall we?” 

Juyeon takes that as a sign to drag Haknyeon with him into the living room. He lets himself fall on the couch and pulls Haknyeon on top of him, followed by a loud, pained groan, but it’s not Juyeon. 

“Ow!” Haknyeon exclaims, hands flying up to his ribcage on instinct. 

Immediately all eyes are on him. Mentally he curses himself but it’s too late already as Jacob walks up to the two on the couch, “Are you okay Haknyeon-ah?” he asks, worry evident in his voice. He reaches out to help the younger sit up which causes him to groan again. 

“What happened?” comes the obvious question. _Kevin_. Of course it is Kevin, the only one who has ever dared to doubt Sunwoo in the first place. Haknyeon shakes his head, “Nothing much, I just bumped into the door handle this morning.” He knows it makes no sense but he still tries. 

Next to him Juyeon raises an eyebrow, “A door handle wouldn’t cause you to cry out in pain, not like that,” he reasons, eyes searching for Haknyeon’s. 

“He’s right,” Jacob mutters, moving to pull his sweatshirt up to look at his ribs. “Let hyung look at it, please.” It’s the please. The please breaks the resistance he put up, arms raising both in defeat and to help Jacob with his shirt. 

A gasp attracts his attention, “This is insane. What are all these bruises and swelling?” Kevin falls to his knees next to Jacob, who’s squatting in front of Haknyeon.

“Just that, bruises,” he mutters under his breath. 

“These are not normal bruises, Haknyeon.”

Jacob and Juyeon nod in unison, eyes trained on the various spots blooming in purples and blues all over his chest. “You know you can tell us, right?” Jacob asks, looking up into his eyes, holding his gaze. Haknyeon looks back at him, eyes watering when he sees his own pain reflected on the older’s eyes. 

“I can’t. I can’t tell you.”

“Yes, you can,” Kevin says, voice laced with something Haknyeon can’t pinpoint. “This is not okay and you know that.” He adds as he grabs hold of his hand, giving it a little squeeze for reassurance. 

“He’ll do it again if I tell you, he might even kill me this time,” his voice is shaking, his entire body along with it. He knows they will find out at some point but admitting this, his life being in danger, is too much for him. 

Jacob nods. “We can’t help you if you don’t tell us love,” he whispers softly, eyes never leaving his. 

Haknyeon forces a smile onto his face as the tears start rolling down his cheeks. “He hits me.” 

There it is, he admitted it out loud. Now they know. 

“Sunwoo?” Juyeon asks tentatively, hand coming up to rest on his shoulder. He receives a small nod, the youngest breaking eye contact with Jacob to turn to Juyeon, gauging his reaction. 

“I knew it.” 

_What?_ Questioningly all three turn towards Kevin who is now pacing through the room. “I knew he was doing something to you.” Haknyeon freezes when Kevin comes to a halt in front of him, eyes meeting as he squats down again. 

He gulps before asking, “You did?” 

Kevin scoffs at him, eyebrow shooting up comically as if to ask _are you for real?_

“Haknyeon-ah, I asked you over two years ago and you said nothing was wrong. After that you kept showing up with new bruises. I’m not stupid love, I know what physical abuse looks like.” 

It makes Haknyeon curl in on himself. He’s been a fool, thinking they didn’t know. 

“When did it start?” Jacob asks, hands now holding both of his.

Haknyeon feels secure like this, surrounded by friends to take care of him. 

“Maybe three years ago,” he mutters as an answer. “I can’t exactly remember. I just know it gets worse every time.” 

The last sentence is a whisper, swallowing around the words still sitting in his throat. He knows he’s going to have to tell them everything.

So he does. 

After minutes of reassurance, he starts spilling the story. He tells them about how the playful slaps turned more forceful, how he started doubting if it was still playful. About how Sunwoo had come home, angry over work, and shoved him into the wall, fist connecting with his jaw. The countless times after that where he would push him, shove him around, kick him to the ground. Tears fall uncontrollably as the memories he has tried to forget flood his mind. 

He tells them the frequency increased rapidly after the first six months. In the early stages, the beating came only a couple of times a year but before he knew it, he would’ve to endure it maybe every two months. Over the course of another six months, it changed from once a month at most to every week, even more some weeks. 

“I don’t want to hide it anymore. Not from you.” 

“You shouldn’t have hidden it from us in the first place,” Kevin cuts in. “He is supposed to love you, take care of you, be there for you always, not beat the shit out of you, potentially breaking bones or even kill you.”

Jacob grabs hold of Kevin’s shoulders, “Calm down, this is not Haknyeon’s fault. Don’t get angry with him or us,” it’s an attempt to get him to sit down and be reasonable but an angry Kevin isn’t reasonable. 

“I’m going there. Now.” 

He tries to get away, to walk out of the house to their truck but Juyeon stops him. “You’re not doing anything Kev,” he remarks quickly and determined as he guides him back to the couch. “We need to help Haknyeon first, that’s our priority.” 

Kevin mutters something inaudible but sits down anyway. Haknyeon uses the silence to look at each of their faces, worry, anger, confusion all mixing into one in their expressions. A smile appears on Juyeon’s face when he looks back at him, his arms an open invitation for a hug. 

Gladly Haknyeon accepts, letting himself fall into the older’s arms. The long limbs wrapping around his body make him feel warm, comfort taking over all of him. 

_Sunwoo used to do this._

He shakes the thought off, not wanting to think about him. It is right there in Juyeon’s arms that he makes a life-changing decision. A decision he should have made years ago, back when things had started becoming iffy, not when is already too late. 

“Can I stay with you, Juyeon?”

“To do what?” Juyeon asks, sitting up with his arms still loosely wrapped around the younger’s frame to keep him close.

Haknyeon lifts his head to make eye contact, “I’m leaving Sunwoo. I will pack my bags tonight and tomorrow morning I walk out of there.” 

“Of course you can!” Jacob chimes in from behind Haknyeon, “And if he wouldn’t let you, I’d kick Kevin out and you can stay here.” 

Said man gasps dramatically as he falls to his knees in front of his boyfriend, “You what?! Do you even love me?” he exclaims, hands pulling at the other’s pant leg for effect. But it’s all he says before turning back to Haknyeon. “No but seriously, you can stay here any time you want love.”

“I know, thank you.” 

The couple engulfs him in a big group hug, Juyeon’s arms still around him as well. They sit in silence, Haknyeon letting himself be loved, the others trying to process what he has been through and how they can help. 

Therapy is the most obvious help he needs, convincing him to go shouldn’t be too hard so no problems there. What will be a problem is dealing with Sunwoo when he realizes Haknyeon is gone. 

If the stories are anything to go by, he will be furious at the very least. That being said, keeping Haknyeon somewhere far from their place in Seoul would be safest. Juyeon lives all the way across the city so his place is definitely their best option. 

Aside from that, Sunwoo is not aware of where Juyeon lives, he barely even knows the guy. To him, Haknyeon’s only friend is Kevin and Juyeon is but an extension of that friendship, so nothing important to him. 

For once, Haknyeon is glad Sunwoo only knows Kevin, though in this situation Kevin and Jacob are being put in a dangerous position when he disappears. 

“Shouldn’t you two come with us to my place?” Juyeon wonders out loud, “He might come here first thing tomorrow,” his frowns as he speaks but Jacob shakes his head in response.

“Together we will be fine, besides we are going to the police tomorrow before you go home.” 

Kevin nods, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. “Should we think happy thoughts now? It might be good before you go back there,” he says while looking at Haknyeon. Now it’s his turn to nod, grateful for Kevin to shift the attention away from him. 

“Sounds good. Movie?”

Jumping up from his spot on the couch Jacob goes to turn off all the lights while Juyeon helps Haknyeon put his sweatshirt back on. 

They end up watching some romantic comedy Juyeon has been talking their ears off about since last month. Laughing and fake gagging ensues at the cringy scenes; Kevin tries to force Jacob into recreating some of the moments right then and there but Jacob wisely chooses to ignore him. 

As the credits start rolling, the lights are turned back on. Kevin, who is now standing, lets out a loud cackle at the sight of the three grown men sprawled over the couch. Jacob has his legs on Haknyeon’s lap, the latter fully leaning on Juyeon who’s somehow asleep, his head lolling back against the couch. 

“Idiots,” he mumbles lovingly before throwing himself on top of Jacob, head resting on his chest and arms falling around his neck naturally. 

Suddenly Haknyeon shoots up, suppressing a pained groan as he looks at the clock, “Fuck, I need to be home in twenty, I will never make it on time,” tears springing to his eyes but Juyeon is quick to shush him, offering him a sweet smile. “I’ll take you, don’t worry.”

A sigh of relief washes over him, knowing that by car they’ll have no trouble being there on time as it’s barely a ten-minute ride. The thought of having to walk home and risking not reaching his place at 12 is already out of his system along with the stress it brought with it. 

He gathers his stuff and patiently waits for Juyeon to be ready.

Kevin and Jacob hug him one last time before ushering him out of the house and into Juyeon’s car, telling him to text them when he gets home. He gets in with a smile, waving at the couple as Juyeon starts the engine and drives off. 

“Are you sure you will be okay?”

The question catches him off guard and it takes Haknyeon a second to find his voice again. “I should be as long as I am at home on time.”

“I could come inside with you. You grab your bags and we leave right now,” Juyeon speaks again, but it’s only when he parks his car at the end of their street that Haknyeon answers him, the offer tempting. 

“It’s best if you don’t, I don’t want him to hurt you,” Haknyeon says, voice breaking when he adds. “I don’t want you to see him touch me.”

Juyeon nods in understanding, jaw clenching and unclenching before he opens the door to let Haknyeon out. “Let Kev know if something happens. I will come get you, I promise.”

Grateful, Haknyeon hugs Juyeon close. He proceeds to sling his work bag over his shoulder, whispering a greeting as he walks to his front door. Standing in front of it he takes a deep breath, slowly emptying his lungs and breathing in again when he opens the door. 

He is met by an empty living room and kitchen, meaning Sunwoo is either not home or in their bedroom. Silently praying it is the former, Haknyeon walks up the stairs and pushes the door open. 

Empty. 

Letting go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding he drops his bag on the bed, shuffling over to the closet to fetch clothes from it. At that moment he hears the sound of a door shutting, the bathroom. 

He curses himself for not checking there as he throws shirts and pants back into the closet, slamming the door shut at the exact moment Sunwoo enters the door. 

“You’re on time.” 

Haknyeon nods, not looking at him while walking past him and moving down the hallway to take a shower. It doesn’t take long for him to finish showering, wearing his pyjamas, he slips back into the bedroom. 

Sunwoo is sitting on the bed, eyes following his every movement as he sits down on the opposite side of the bed. He shoots Kevin the promised text message before setting his phone down on the nightstand and lying down. 

Not sparing Sunwoo a glance he mutters, “goodnight,” but no response comes. 

Curious he turns to his other. side. Normally he would get at least a hum to affirm the younger heard him. His eyes meet Sunwoo’s and he freezes, breath getting stuck in his throat at the lack of emotion on his face. 

“Something wrong?” He questions softly, steeling himself without realizing it. 

But Sunwoo just sits there. Not moving an inch. It feels off. 

Haknyeon doesn’t know what to do so he chooses to close his eyes and try to sleep. Shortly after he feels the mattress dip, expecting Sunwoo to have lied down he opens his eyes again, gasping at the face mere centimeters away from him. 

“What are you doing?” 

Sunwoo shows a smile for the first time in what feels like weeks. “Admiring you,” his voice is soft. Too soft, Haknyeon thinks as he huffs.

“Good joke,” is all he says before backing up slightly. He knows the younger sees it, his eyes glint with something unfamiliar before he speaks. 

“It’s not a joke though.” 

Haknyeon narrows his eyes at him, glaring in a search for something that would give his intentions away but fails. For once, Sunwoo seems genuine in his affection, like he was three years ago. 

“Why?” Haknyeon asks. “Why are you suddenly acting nice? Scared I will leave you or something?” He knows the last addition is dangerous, but he can’t help it, the face as Sunwoo pulls away is too funny to him. His brows are furrowed in confusion as the older laughs at him. 

Sunwoo opens and closes his mouth before answering. “Would you?” he asks softly, genuine curiosity and something Haknyeon thinks is fear in his otherwise hard voice.

Shaking his head, Haknyeon lies through his teeth. “Never in a million years.”

The truth is, in another universe, he would stay with Sunwoo forever. Even after everything, he still loves him. But this isn’t healthy, their relationship is toxic and he knows it. As much as he cares about Sunwoo he has to be selfish for once and do what’s best for him. 

For years he has dropped all of his own dreams, everything he had to make him happy. Now it’s time to choose his own happiness. He won’t find that here, not anymore. 

“Good,” Sunwoo breathes. For a second Haknyeon thinks he is really relieved, like he actually feared the opposite, and he feels a stab in his heart when he realizes it’s probably all acting. Tomorrow they’ll be back to how they were yesterday. 

He has cherished the good days, the days where they would be like they once were. 

But as these occur less and less often, he started wondering if they even had those and they are not someone else’s memories. 

It’s then that he knows he made the right decision at Kevin’s earlier. 

Just for tonight, he’ll be what Sunwoo wants him to be. _For the very last time._

He falls asleep in the younger’s arms, content smile on his face as he momentarily forgets all their problems and struggles and enjoys his warm embrace one last time. A single tear leaves his eye while lying there. _One._

Haknyeon wakes up to an empty bed. 

Carefully he tiptoes out of the room, checking the bathroom and listening for sounds from downstairs but he’s met with nothing but silence. Sunwoo must have left for work already, which means it’s time for him to leave as well, this time for good. 

Back in his room, he grabs the bag from yesterday, picking up the clothes he had sorted out the night before and shoving them into the bag. His shoes are deposited into another one, along with some other things he had kept in their room. 

With two filled bags Haknyeon walks down the stairs, his phone ringing in his pocket. Setting his belongings by the door he picks up the phone. “Hey hyung,” he says, smile on his face when he hears Juyeon’s voice.

“I am at the same spot as yesterday, just let me know when you’re ready and I will come to help you with everything.”

It’s reassuring, knowing he can finally walk out and leave it all behind. “I’ll be out in five,” Haknyeon grabs an apple that will have to do as breakfast for now, he can eat properly when he is at Juyeon’s later. His free hand fiddles with a pen and a piece of paper on top of the countertop. 

_A last goodbye._

Haknyeon can’t let himself not write Sunwoo something, he has to say goodbye even if it is only on paper. Sunwoo is going to be mad, he knows, but still, he loved him once. 

So he starts writing. Writes down the beautiful memories from the amusement park they went to 4 years ago, the secret date nights back when Kevin didn’t know about Sunwoo yet, the hours spent talking about the future, _their future._

He writes about how he still loves him, even now that their relationship has become toxic and he would do everything to get back the old days. A tear runs down his cheek as he remembers how Sunwoo confessed to him. On instinct he finishes the letter with a sentence he has been scared to say out loud all along, gulping when he reads his own words. 

_I need to find my own happiness again, the happiness I felt with you until you started beating me. I am leaving you Sunwoo._

He fumbles with the letter and the magnet, pinning the piece of paper to the fridge where he knows Sunwoo will see it the second he gets back. His hand lingers there as he looks around their house one last time. A place that once felt like home, but has long since ceased to give him that feeling. 

A last deep breath. He steps out of the door, bags hanging off his arms as he dials Juyeon’s number.

“Ready.”

Juyeon’s car starts moving towards him from the end of the street, the older flashes him a smile when he comes to a halt in front of Haknyeon. “Your ride is here,” he chuckles lightly, getting out and helping him with the heavy bags. 

Grateful, Haknyeon shuffles into the passenger’s seat, closes the door and fastens his seatbelt. It only settles in then that he is really doing this. He is starting over, he has a new life in front of him. 

Yes, he has a long way to go to get over this but with Kevin, Jacob and Juyeon by his side he can make it. 

Kevin has always been by his side and never once failed to make him smile and feel safe with his presence alone. He truly is the best friend Haknyeon could have ever asked for and he is forever thankful to have someone like Kevin in his life. 

Jacob came as a bonus with Kevin but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Together the two of them have been his safe space even before his relationship with Sunwoo started going downhill. They just have that effect on him. Kevin and Jacob are his rocks. 

Juyeon may have come into his life later but the man is so intelligent and manages to pick up on any small signs he is uncomfortable with a situation. Without realizing, Juyeon has become very important to him, always there when Kevin and Jacob were out of town, taking care of him or simply letting him rant about what’s bothering him.

His friends mean the world to him.

As Juyeon drives off into the horizon Haknyeon feels an incredible weight fall from his shoulders. 

_He is finally free._

**Author's Note:**

> Saying I hope you enjoyed reading this feels off so I will just say:
> 
> Kudos and comments mean the world to me, please let me know what you thought!  
> If you think there are inaccuracies also be sure to let me know!


End file.
